Jason Reynolds book summaries

“The Rules were simple. No crying. No snitching. Get revenge.”

Will recites the Rules that have been passed down through his family, setting the central conflict of the novel.

“I was the one who had to do it. I was the one who had to make it right.”

Will's internal monologue as he prepares to avenge his brother's death.

“The gun was heavy in my hand. It felt like a brick, like a piece of the building.”

Will describes the physical weight of the gun he takes from his brother's drawer.

“You can't cry. You can't snitch. You get revenge.”

Will repeats the Rules to himself, emphasizing the pressure he feels to conform.

“The elevator was a time machine, and I was going back to the beginning.”

Will reflects on the elevator ride as a journey through his past and the history of violence in his family.

“I was tired of the Rules. I was tired of the cycle.”

Will's moment of doubt as he begins to question the code he has been taught.